The invention relates to calling a remote station or operator and more particularly, to the automatic notification to selected remote stations or operators in response to a priority of predetermined machine malfunctions or conditions.
It is important in the operation of complex electronic equipment, such as reproduction machines, to maintain the efficiency and productivity of the machine. Machine downtime due to various conditions such as paper jams, the need to reload paper trays, and undesirable quality due to factors such as low toner severely impact machine productivity. In addition, locations with multiple machine operations are often without an immediately available operator or trouble shooter. An assigned expediter may be at the location of machine when another machine needs immediate attention to continue operation. It is important for efficiency to reduce machine down time and to improve the efficiency of operator time spent in monitoring and correcting the machine operation at a specific location.
In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,294 to Nakagami et al. discloses an image forming apparatus equipped with a sensor for detecting the requirement of replenishment and exchange of expendable supplies, parts and the like. The apparatus forms a pre-warning image (33) which is distinguishable from a regular image (35) on the same sheet on which a regular image is formed corresponding to an original (21) or other image data so that operators can easily recognize whether a pre-warning image is on the sheet or not while confirming the regular image. The pre-warning image is formed on a sheet whether it is a roll sheet or cut sheet whenever manual handling is necessary. See Col 1, lines 60-69, Col. 2, lines 1-5.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,613 to Kaiser et al. discloses a warning system for printing presses. The system provides a warning system for a printing press which sounds an acoustic warning when any one of a given set of running conditions is exceeded or departed from. See Col. 1, lines 38-41.
U.S. Pat. No. 3, 3,842,408 to Wells discloses a system for providing an indication of a remote condition or problem within a machine. A transmitter coupled to the machine operates to separately sense different conditions of the machine and transmits separate signals corresponding to the sensed condition of the machine. The signals are carried via the conventional electric power distributing lines to a receiver and indicator apparatus. The indicator apparatus functions to selectively sense the signals from the receiver to provide a visual indication of the sensed condition of the machine.
A difficulty with prior art systems is that video or audio alarm systems are often limited in the range of notification and the inability to directly alert an operator who may be at one of several locations. In addition, once alerted, the operator often has little or no information on the nature of the alert or the condition of the machine needing attention.
It would be desirable, therefore, to minimize machine downtime and provide the capability of rapid operator response to machine requirements and for the operator to be able to pre-select the machine conditions requiring notice. It would also be desirable to be able to immediately alert an operator at a remote location for fast response and to be able to identify for the operator the status or condition of the machine that provided the notification.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved technique for notification of an operator remote from a machine of the need for machine assistance. It is still another object of the present invention to notify a remote operator the type of assistance required to maintain machine productivity. It is still another object of the present invention to allow the pre-setting of a priority of conditions demanding automatic calling to a remote operator or station. Another advantage is to be able to automatically or remotely change the condition for notification. Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features characterizing the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.